Vermeil Cuff Bracelet 'Q'

Hello,

I am usually pretty good with identifying jewelry but unfortunately this one has me a little stumped. It is unmarked but solid sterling silver with an 18k gold plating. The only mark on the piece is a 'Q' so I am hoping someone recognizes this mark. If not, maybe a few keywords about the style could help with my searching. Thank you for your help!

 

It's pretty but too new for me to know anything.

 

I'd be looking at QVC stuff. It's very nice.

 

Nice pics !

 

Hello

Thanks for the replies! The only problem I have with it being a modern retail piece is the fact its a precious metal and completely unmarked (is that even legal?) I have a hard time seeing QVC selling such a piece as sterling with no assay mark on it, which is what has lead to my confusion over the piece. It weighs 95g which is a significant amount of silver.

 

Why do you say its sterling ?

 

Acid test

 

How's you get past the 18K plate to get to the silver ?

 

A little elbow grease the plating isnt very thick so a couple firm scratches on the stone cut right through it. I could tell it was silver prior to testing it though, it was heavy and as you can see it has a dark iridescent oxidation through the gold.

 

Shot in the dark, but there's a Q Evon Jewelry that does sterling, vermeil, etc jewelry. Darned if I can find a piece that shows her mark to compare it to yours though.

ETA: The "Q" in her jewelry logo looks different than your stamp, so probably not her.

 

I don't quite get the concept of destroying something to find out what it is. Who'd want to buy a piece of jewelry with a deep cut? Not me.

 

Nor me, Bev, especially on a bracelet.

 

It's the same mindset as folks who stick hot needles in things to test if it's ivory.

 

And rub Simichrome all over the outside of a bangle to test for bakelite. I generally use silver polish. Or a thumb. The thumb is nondestructive and doesn't annoy dealers.

 

Who said anything about it being destructive? I rubbed it on a metal testing stone which takes a very minor unnoticeable fine shaving off. You cannot tell the test was performed at all.

Anyone with any knowledge of materials and testing usually can identify ivory or bakelite simply by its pattern, weight, color without the need for a destructive test. However unmarked metals are a lot more difficult and usually require a more in depth acid testing to prove they are precious metals when they are unmarked in order to market them accurately. This can be done professionally and discretely without damaging the piece. It is only amateurs who give this practice a bad name and ultimately end up destroying the piece.

 

the plating isnt very thick so a couple firm scratches on the stone cut right through it.
....
I rubbed it on a metal testing stone which takes a very minor unnoticeable fine shaving off. You cannot tell the test was performed at all.

Those two statements sound very different.........don't they ?

 

Not at all, "scratches" were simply a rubbing from the corner edge of the piece. You would notice more damage by wearing the piece than by the test.

Please understand I have tested thousands of pieces of jewelry for their metal content, there is a professional and discrete way of testing and an amateur home tester method. This testing method is standard among every professional from pawn shop to high end auction house if done correctly.

 

That's not what I asked , now is it !

You've missed the point.

 

Then what did you ask? Please elaborate.

 

I have sold a lot of jewellery at auction, high end stuff. I have NEVER known an auction house here to do ANY test involving "scratching" or test stones. The only people who do that are my local pawn shop if you're scrapping without a hallmark. And i would not buy anything scratch tested.